Roller-skate



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

` G. F. JOHNSON.

ROLLER SKATE.

No. 334,231. 'Patented Jan. 12, 1881i.

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3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

G. F. JOHNSON.

l ROLLER SKATE. No. 334,231. Patented Jan. 12, 1886.

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G. 1F.4 JOHNSON..

(No Model.)

ROLLER SKATE.

'Patented Jan. 12, 1886.

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GEORGE F. JOHNSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLLER-SKATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,231, dated January12,1836.

Application filed September 17, lSS. Serial No. 177,346.

To all whom t may concern:

Be..it known that I, GEORGE F. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Roller-Skates, of which the following is aspecitication.

My invention relates to improvements in roller-skates, as fullydescribed hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis al longitudinal section ot' aroller-skate illust-rating my improvements. Fig. 2 is an inverted planview of the skate with the rollers and bearings removed, andillustrating the clamping device. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective viewof the clamping device. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view showingone of the springs more clearly. Figs. 5 and 6 are views ofmodifications; and Figs. 7 and 8, diagram views drawn to a smallerscale, and illustrating the action of the skate.

To the under side of the foot-plate A of the skate are attached twocastings, a a, on which are balls c', directly above the axles B of theskate-rollers. The axles B have their bearings in blocks D, connectedtogether by a tierod, E, which is attached to a post, F, secured to theplate A.

In the upper face of each bearing-block D is a socket, in which fits theball a. The bentup ends e e of the rod E pass through the bearings andinto the balls c at about the angle indicated by dotted linesx in Fig.l. The portions e of the rod E serve as pivots on which thebearing-blocks D turn, as described hereinafter.

It will be noticed, on referring more particularly to Fig. I, that theweight of the skater comes directly on the axles B of the wheels in avertical line. The ball a on the plate, resting directly on the socketof the bearing-block D, takes all strain off of the pivot-pin e, whichis for the sole purpose of causing the bearing D to turn to the centerwhen the plate is tilted, and for stcadying the skate.

Secured to each bearing-block D is a spring, F, of the form bestillustrated in Fig. 4, and secured to the castings a c. The springs tendto keep the bearings and rollers in line. For instance, referring toFigs. 7 and 8, it will be noticed that as the plate A is depressed on(No model.)

one side, as shown in Fig. 8, the bearings carrying the rollers willturn on their pivot-pins e Onthe line 0c Fig. l. The skate will thenturn in the direction of its arrow, Fig. 7. By depressing the plate onthe opposite side' the bearing-rollers will be turned in the oppositedirection. The springs F F will always bring the bearing-blocks intoline with each other.

By making the spring of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 4 I get in a verysmall compass, and with a very light wire, a very stiff spring, as it isa torsionspring, it being secured, as previously stated, at one end tothe bearingblock D and at its opposite end to the casting a..

In Fig. 5 I have shown as a modiiication a spring which is bent nearlydouble and fastened to a lug on the casting a and attached to thebearing-block D, the action being the same as in the figures referredto--that is, the spring is of a character to counteract any tendency 0fthe bearing-block D to turn from its normal position.

In the modification, Fig. 6, I have shown the spring F situated directlyabove the tie-rod E and permanently secured to a post, f. The ends ofthis spring-rod are slightly bent into sockets in projections d of thebearing-block D, so that any movement either of the front or back endout of parallelism will give a side twist to the end of the rod for amoment. The tension of this spring-rod F is governed by sliding sleevesg g, which connect the tie-rod E and spring F together on each side ofthe post j'. By sliding the sleeves nearer thebearings D the springbecomes stiffer, owing to the practical decrease in its length, while bysliding the sleeves toward the post the spring-rod becomes moreyielding.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 again, IVI IWI are the front clampinglevers, having serrated jaws m m. Each lever is slotted for thereception of a pin, it', which is secured to the plate A. These leversare pivoted to a head, a,

which is secured to a rod, N, the latter having its bearings in the postf. Secured to this rod N by a swivel-nut, j, is a rod, N, having a bentportion7 a', to which is pivoted the lever T. The outer end of thislever rests against the jaw s, adapted to slide in a groove in the plateA, and having a downwardly-project- ICO ing` portion, forming a bearingfor the rod N. This lever T passes through a projection formed on a uut,u, to which is adapted the threaded portion of a rod, U,having itsbearings in the rear casting a. The outer end of this rod is square7 forthe reception of a suitable key. By turning the rod U in one directionthe nut u is moved in the direction of its arrow, which action willforce either the rod N and its attachment in the direction of its arrow,first to close the front jaws, M M, or move the jaw s, which, togetherwith the jaw S, forms the heel-clamp. If this jaw s engages rst with theheel of the boot of the skater, the point of'. contact between the leverT and thejaw s will be the fnlcrum of the le-l ver for the movement ofthe rod N, while if the rod N comes to the end of its movement first thepoint of connection of the lever T with a will be the fulcrum, so thatconsiderable leverage is obtained in a small compass.

The nutj is for the purpose of adjusting the jaws to about the positionrequired before placing the skate on the foot.

I claim as my inventionM l. The combination, in a roller-skate, of thesole-plate A and rollers with a bearing-block, D, the pivot e at anangle, the plate A bearing directly on the bearing-block D, in verticalline with the axle B, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the plate A, with a bearing, D, attached thereto,a tie-rod, E, a spring, F, a post, f, and a sleeve, g, adjustable on thetic-rod, as and for the purpose set forth. 1

3. The combination of the levers M M, having jaws m m and jaws s, withrods N, N', and U, and a lever, T, acted on by the rod U, to clamp thejaw tothe boot, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE F. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

HARRY SMITH, HENRY HowsoN.

